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Meditations

Show me a world with no cheese

I know, I know, what type of person doesn’t like cheese? More so, what type of Foodist doesn’t like cheese? To answer such a mind boggling question (without too many graphic details), one who is lactose intolerant. Some would say I have a mental phobia against cheese to the point where the smell makes be queasy and the thought of cheese touching other food on my plate ruins the meal. I would presume it is similar to a vegetarian not wanting to have meat touching their food, or the smell of bubbling animal flesh may not be their aroma of choice.

Living in London, UK, before moving to Canada I would often buy lunch out. There is a huge sandwich culture in England and it is very common for people to have a sandwich for lunch seven days a week. There are great sandwich shops with so many varieties as well as catering for different types of food allergies. When I moved to Canada I was shocked that almost every sandwich has cheese on it. What’s with you people? I was most shocked to see that cheese had been added to a Roast Beef Sandwich. At this point in this post all the English readers are shocked and stunned by such a disgrace, and all the Canadians are thinking ‘and so your point is’. Adding cheese to a roast beef sandwich is as wrong as having ketchup flavoured maple syrup.

Sometimes a shop may sell an Egg sandwich which is great, but sometimes I am just not in the mood for that. I want variety. Most servers are nice and offer to remove the cheese, but they are missing the point. If I wanted that I would have asked for it. What, they can’t read my mind?

So pleeeeeeeaaasse help. Show me a world with no cheese. Where can I go for a traditional sandwich that has not been ruined by CHEESE?

Matt – I couldn’t agree with you more! Not because I don’t support (and work with!) cheese lovers/geniuses like Joe Chaput @ Les Amis du Fromage/Au Petite Chavignol, but because for the past 13 years I, too, have had to avoid eating cheese (I’m not deathly allergic, a touch here and there won’t kill me, but mac&cheese for lunch would put me out for a good 2-3 days).
So, where to get a fabulous meal sans fromage? I’m not entirely sure about sandwiches but Nuba (www.nuba.ca) has fabulous vegan dishes, and Pourhouse (www.pourhousevancouver.com/food_menu.html) has both tuna and a beef brisket sandwiches without cheese which I’ve been told are pretty darn tasty.
Cheers,
Jackie

Nuba’s great for cheese free, but if you’re looking for sandwiches in particular, La Grotta del Formaggio (ah, the irony that I’m sending you to a cheese store!) on the Drive makes fantastic custom built ones. Yes, you can get a variety of cheese, but you can also have artichokes, picked peppers, meats and condiments. Swoon.
There’s also this fabulous concoction: http://ethniceats.ca/2009/01/26/schnitzel-sandwich-king-of-sandwiches/

I miss UK’s sandwich culture. I would love to be able to get a sandwich that’s not grilled. What’s with all these paninis? I just want a stupid sandwich! Even Marks and Sparks sandwiches are better than paninis!

I have the same lactose intolerant as you, but I eat cheese and other dairy products anyways with the help of “Lactaid”, I take one pill right before I start the meal and I am totally fine afterwards…it’s pretty amazing.

I have yet to find a really good sandwich place in Vancouver yet but the worst sandwich I had was at Bread Garden, they managed to make a ham and cheese taste really gross with the addition of very sweet honey mustard sauce and soggy lettuce.

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